Past Your Still Image
by Ember Mage
Summary: "You know, Takaishi-kun... he's liked you since the fifth grade." When Hikari realizes her feelings for Takeru have surpassed the boundary of friendship, she also finds out it may be too late to reach him.


**Disclaimer:** No property of _Digimon Adventure 02_ belongs to me. All characters and related titles are copyrighted to TOEI ANIMATION Co., Ltd.

**Notes:** Gosh, it's been an awful long amount of time since I've written anything, right? Since I've always been bad at creative writing, please excuse the horror that I wrote in just under three hours. This idea has been calling out to me for a long time and wouldn't shut up, especially since I've been making a Takari fan site and have been on some certain high lately.

Also, for people's reference, Senri is the name of the girl whose birthday party Hikari went to in _Children's War Game_. Her name was given on the movie's storyboard.

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**Past Your Still Image  
Chapter 1**

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Everything started with a brief exchange shortly after school ended for the day.

As the students collected their belongings into their bags, Hikari was in the middle of a conversation with her childhood friend Senri about their plans for the weekend when Takeru approached her desk with an apologetic grin, his bags toted over one of his shoulders. His height seemed to tower over them.

"Hikari-chan," he started sheepishly. He gave a nod to Senri, acknowledging her presence.

"Takeru-kun!" greeted Hikari cheerfully, turning her attention away from her own conversation. "What's up?"

Takeru threw a brief glance over his shoulder as if someone was spying at him, and said slowly, "Well... Miyako-san was going to meet up with me with something after school, but it turns out that I can't make it today since I have club activities. Could you tell her I'll see her tomorrow?"

"Okay," was Hikari's simple answer.

"Thanks." Takeru flashed a brimming grin. "See you tomorrow." With a wave from one of his hands that bright smile still on his face, the boy ducked out the door.

"Bye," Hikari chimed in with a soft voice, but she wasn't sure if Takeru had heard her. Nevertheless, the thought of him still brought a smile to her face. It wasn't a problem to inform Miyako about the change in plans from Takeru as much as it was pleasing to speak with him. Since school started, Hikari rarely had time to talk to him — aside from keeping up with their own circles of friends and the fact that the two lived in opposite directions of school, Takeru's involvement in the basketball club often left him tired every night, and he had some sort of writing project that he was always working on during his free time. It was only during the occasional "study group" sessions that Hikari could hold a decent conversation with him.

The moment Takeru was gone, Senri leaned over Hikari's desk, voice hushed but excited. "Getting along together as _always_, huh?" she piped up, smiling mischieviously. That cheeky grin of hers hinted at something else, something that made Hikari blush. As the brown-haired girl fought for the right words to respond, Senri threw her arms around her neck and jerked her head downwards. "Oh, Hikari, you're so cute!" she gushed. "I'm so _jealous_ of your good relationship with such a perfect guy!"

"S-_Senri_-ch-chan," stuttered Hikari, trying to regain her balance. Thankfully, her childhood friend released her from her rough grip, and Hikari straightened herself up by smoothing her hair. Clearing her throat, she shyly added, "We're just friends. I'm just helping two friends with a favor... it's no big deal."

"Eh?" droned Senri dully. "You mean, you two still haven't hooked up yet?"

"What do you mean?" asked Hikari, but immediately regretted her words as soon as they slipped out of her mouth. Why did she have to continue this conversation? She dreaded what Senri's explanation entailed; in fact, this wasn't the first time anyone had asked her this.

Senri made no hesitation to begin listing Hikari's compatibility with Takeru. "Well, you two have been such good friends since the fifth grade. You two are _always_ together, and you _always_ know everything about each other. You guys rarely fight. I'm surprised nothing has happened." She waved her index finger for emphasis.

"Senri-chan, you've been listening to too much gossip. My big brother was best friends with Sora-san, and they never dated." Hikari paused for a moment after noticing how defensive she sounded, but decided to continue to make her point. "Just because someone is best friends with another doesn't mean anything." _Not that it actually meant anything._

Although her selfless demeanor would show otherwise, Hikari secretly prided herself with being the closest girl, if not the closest person, to Takeru — she couldn't understand why she was excited over such a silly thing, since he was allowed to make as many friends as he pleased. Still, being the to-go person to ask about Takeru's whereabouts or the know-it-all of Takeru's darkest secrets brought a small glow to her heart. She knew Takeru, and Takeru knew her — it was a bond so special and unique to her that she couldn't imagine anyone else replacing that spot — or anyone else ranking above her.

Friendship was a safe and truthful way to describe her relationship with Takeru, she decided. They've been close since they were in second grade, if no one counted the three year gap in between, they had a lot in common, they often hung out together... that's what friends would do, right? And Takeru was always there for her, always understanding, always knowing when to comfort her like magic, _always brightening her up with his infectious smile_—

Senri abruptly brought her out of her daydreams. "Is that why you're red in the face?"

In horror, Hikari touched her face. Sure enough, her cheek burned the palm of her hand. How much did her expression give her away? "_Senri-chan_!" she cried. The other girl laughed as Hikari gave a playful shove to her shoulder, suddenly finding herself giggling as well.

In an effort to make such a sensitive situation lighthearted, Senri turned the conversation onto herself. "If he's your friend, what does that make _me_? I mean, you two have such a lovey-dovey—"

"We do _not_!" Hikari could not help but retort.

"— okay, _fine_, a _great_ relationship — happy now? — that it puts me on such a lower level! I've known you since kindergarten that I feel so ashamed!" Senri dramatically pretended to sulk, her long hair covering the front of her face.

Hikari laughed as her friend pouted comically. "It's okay," she said reassuringly. "Senri-chan will always be the friend that I like very much."

"Really?" Senri glanced up, eyes meeting Hikari's. The latter gave a cheerful nod.

"Aaaah, Hikari's so _cuuute_!" Again, Hikari found herself engulfed in a pair of long arms, causing her to squeal in surprise and struggle free.

As the girls yelled and teased each other excitedly on their way home, Hikari distantly thought about their conversation. Takeru was special to her, and she was sure that he found her to be an irreplaceable presence in his life. Even if she claimed that their relationship was nothing more than platonic, she could feel the mutual link between them deepening gradually.

Although she understood how selfish her wish was, she hoped nothing would change between them. Naturally, Hikari knew change was inevitable, but some things didn't have to. Takeru was a live example of that: his slim figure was growing taller and more mature in contrast to those old photos Hikari took of him of his youthful face frozen at a certain time, but his heart never did — and that's what Hikari wanted: that she would always be as important to him as he was to her.

It wasn't until a week later when Hikari heard rumors that Takeru had gotten a girlfriend.


End file.
